I also found some excellent work on calling into the Evolution ER1
Robot Control Module directly without having to go
through the ER1's API. This is very exciting to me
because I had some serious reliability and performance
problems with the ER1 API that I can now studiously
avoid. It turns out that the ER1 Robot Controller Module
is actually a Pilot
Motion Processor from Performance Motion
Devices plus additional supporting hardware. In
reviewing the Pilot's SDK, this is a very nice piece of
hardware including A/D ports and Digital IO ports and a
well documented RS-232 protocol that can run over a very
high speed RS-232 interface (say, USB connected like the
ER1 provides).

I've added a few
more blog entries on my robot, including a description
of the Acroname Brainstem, Windows XP Embeddded, and a few
pictures of a new multi-tier chassis I've been hacking on
for the past few weeks.

I've added some details on the IO Bus that I'm using for
Cylon. I'm combining a 26 conductor ribbon cable with a
custom PCB I had made at PCBExpress to allow me to carry
12 signal pairs plus Gnd/+5V between my various chassis
levels. For details, see this entry on my blog.

I've started work on a new base for Cylon, one that will
allow me to move from an inside drivetrain (repurposing ER1
parts) to an outside drivetrain (based on my Tamiya TXT-1
monster truck chassis). I've posted details here.